Renewed Cabinet line-up

Prime Minister Helen Clark today announced the Labour Party Caucus has elected three new ministers to the Cabinet.

The new Cabinet ministers are: Steve Chadwick, MP for Rotorua Shane Jones, MP Maryan Street, MP

Helen Clark said that the three vacancies arise from the impending retirement of Steve Maharey, the decision by Mark Burton to return to the backbench, and the place vacated by David Benson-Pope in July.

Significant reallocations of portfolios are: Michael Cullen takes on the Treaty Negotiations portfolio in addition to finance Phil Goff adds the Corrections portfolio to his responsibilities Annette King takes on the Justice portfolio, and retains Transport and Police Pete Hodgson becomes Minister for Economic Development, Tertiary Education, and Research Science and Technology Chris Carter becomes Minister of Education and retains Ethnic Affairs David Cunliffe becomes Minister of Health, and continues his responsibilities in Communications and Information Technology

Trevor Mallard becomes Minister of Broadcasting, the Environment, and Labour, and retains SOEs and Associate Finance Ruth Dyson becomes Minister of Social Development and Employment, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and retains Senior Citizens and Disability Issues responsibilities Lianne Dalziel takes on Food Safety and Associate Justice in addition to Commerce David Parker adds States Services to his responsibilities Nanaia Mahuta takes on the full Local Government portfolio and Associate Tourism in addition to her other responsibilities Clayton Cosgrove takes on the full Immigration portfolio, Sport and Recreation, Small Business, and responsibility for the Rugby World Cup. He retains Associate Justice and Finance responsibilities.

The new ministers duties are as follows: Steve Chadwick becomes Minister of Conservation, Women’s Affairs, and Associate Health Maryan Street becomes Minister of Housing, Minister for ACC, along with Associate Minister for Economic Development and Associate Tertiary Education Shane Jones becomes Minister for Building and Construction, Associate Minister of Treaty Negotiations, Associate Immigration and Associate Minister of Trade

Darren Hughes becomes a Minister outside Cabinet with responsibilities as Minister of Statistics, Associate Minister of Social Development and Employment, and Deputy Leader of the House.

“On this occasion I wish to thank the three ministers who are going to the backbench for the contribution they have made to the government.

“Both Steve Maharey and Mark Burton have carried tremendous workloads since 1999. I respect Steve’s decision to retire from politics and Mark’s decision to put all his energy into campaigning for re-election in his constituency.

“Dover Samuels is also moving to the backbench at this time and is not seeking re-election at the next election. He has been a senior member of the Labour Party for many years and a staunch advocate for Maori within the Party and for Labour within Maoridom.

“The New Zealand Labour Party has been privileged to lead the government for eight years now.

“There has been through that time renewal at both the ministerial and broader parliamentary level.

“That becomes most apparent when today’s Cabinet is compared with that which took office in 1999.

“More than half the Cabinet Ministers named today were not in Cabinet in December 1999, and close to half were not in the Cabinet elected after the 2002 election.

“At the forthcoming election, around one fifth of the Labour caucus elected in 2005 will not be seeking re-election.

The party is consciously regenerating and recruiting at all levels to ensure that it can offer the best leadership to New Zealand in the years ahead.

“This Cabinet is appropriately balanced between large centres and regional New Zealand, and the North and South Islands.

“There are seven women Cabinet ministers. Three Cabinet Ministers are Maori.

“The changes made at this time are all about putting the Labour-led Government in a strong position to campaign for re-election in 2008,” Helen Clark said.

ENDS

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